‘GOOD REACTION BUT WE JUST COULDN’T FORCE SECOND GOAL’
MICHAEL O’neill could take some pleasing points from certain performances during Stoke City’s Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Premier League Brentford.
Returning strikers Tyrese Campbell and Steven Fletcher came in for credit during their first start together in some time.
Goalkeeper Joe Bursik was also praised for his heroics at the end as he almost singlehandedly kept the backdoor shut while Stoke flooded forward in search of an equaliser to take the tie to penalties.
Here is what the boss had to say after the 2-1 defeat at the bet365 Stadium.
On the difference between the first and second half performances
“We were very disappointed with the performance in the first half.
“We got penned in by Brentford whose pressure was excellent, but we made poor decisions in terms of how to get out and then we were way too passive I thought the nature of the two goals were very poor to lose and we didn’t have enough belief, really.
“We didn’t have enough belief in ourselves to take the ball and play and get ourselves up the pitch with any real quality on a regular basis.
“Second half we had a lot of territory. The ball was in their half a lot.
“We get the goal back, it was a good reaction.
We had strong words at halftime and, to be fair to the players, they gave us a good reaction but we just couldn’t force the second goal and try and take the game to penalties.
Campbell and Fletcher reunited
“It was difficult for the two of them in the first half, but they did still pose a threat.
“Fletch has a good attempt that the goalkeeper saves and Ty, he had a few moments where he looked like the Ty that we remember when he was running at people.
“There was good moments there.
“I thought second half they gave us a real focal point up the top end of the pitch.
“Unfortunately, we knew both would probably only be able to play 60 minutes so it wasn’t ideal to bring them off at that point in time, but medically, we had the players interests at heart and to have one eye on Saturday as well.
“So, yes, pleased with the contribution of both players.”
On Alfie Doughty substitution
“We started in a 3-4-3 system with Alfie off the left because we believe he’s probably more suited to that than playing as a wingback, but we just needed an extra midfield player in the first half and Alfie went out to wing-back.
“And he’s a young player, still learning that position a bit.
“He had a little bit of a tight groin as well, so, we felt it was the right thing to do to make the change at that point in time.”
On second-half subs
“We needed a reaction and I thought, to be fair, all the subs, gave us a little bit of added energy, a little bit of quality at times, as well. We made as many attacking changes as we could, to be honest.
“But, unfortunately, we just couldn’t manufacture the second goal and take the game to penalties.”
On Bursik’s late heroics
“We had to obviously go for it in the last 10 minutes. We knew that would leave us a little bit open.
“Brentford made substitutions that strengthened them with maybe some of their more regular starting players coming into the starting eleven as well.
“But Joe made two or three very good saves, two one-on-one saves in particular that were very good and I was pleased with his performance. And also, for the two goals, he had no chance. We should have won the tackles and done better than we did for the two goals that we lost.”